Erik ten Hag is set for a reshuffle of the coaching staff at Manchester United

Erik ten Hag is close to accepting his new contract as Manchester United manager, with talks underway to add Ruud van Nistelrooy and Rene Hake to his staff.

Discussions have taken place to refresh Ten Hag’s team and progress is being made in appointing Van Nistelrooy and Hake as deputy directors.

Their arrival, if confirmed, would lead to the prospect of Mitchell van der Gaag’s departure.

Ten Hag has been weighing up a reshuffle of coaching duties after a turbulent season and it is felt Van der Gaag may now see the time right to step down. He has the ambition to be number 1 again, having already succeeded in Portugal and the Netherlands.

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Van der Gaag has been central to United’s coaching program so his work should be replaced. Van Nistelrooy and Hake, as managers in their own right, could provide that.

Their appointments would mean a recalibration of Steve McClaren’s exact role. There will also be separate discussions regarding Darren Fletcher’s responsibilities at the club, with Benni McCarthy’s position uncertain.

Changes are set to happen at United (Crystal Pix/MB Media/Getty Images)

McClaren, a former assistant to Sir Alex Ferguson, returned to the club in 2022, while former midfielder Fletcher was involved with the first team from 2021. McCarthy joined the club as first team coach in June 2022.

Van Nistelrooy scored 150 goals in 219 games for United between 2001 and 2006 to establish himself as a firm fan favourite. He has managerial experience from a one-season spell at PSV Eindhoven in 2022-23, where he won the Dutch Cup.

Hake is an experienced coach after a long career in the Netherlands. He is currently the head coach of Eredivisie club Go Ahead Eagles.

United finished the season with their lowest finish in the Premier League era (eighth) before winning the FA Cup final against Manchester City to qualify for the Europa League.

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The club scouted potential replacements including former Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel, former Brighton & Hove Albion head coach Roberto De Zerbi and Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna before opting to keep Ten Hag.

The Dutchman has been appointed at Old Trafford in the summer of 2022, with this season’s FA Cup a second trophy of his time in charge.

In his first season, Ten Hag finished third in the Premier League and won the EFL Cup, while United also reached the FA Cup final, where they were beaten by City.

(Nick Potts/PA Images via Getty Images)